


Pining Is For Trees

by Semi_problematic



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Awkward Crush, Bad Flirting, M/M, Mutual Pining, Shyness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-16
Updated: 2018-01-16
Packaged: 2019-03-05 14:39:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13389969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Semi_problematic/pseuds/Semi_problematic
Summary: Pining; to suffer by longing





	Pining Is For Trees

Eddie stared down at the flower he was holding. Most of the pedals were gone, actually, only one pedal remained. He sighed, his lips forming the shape of a frown. Eddie reluctantly picked the last pedal, dropping it onto the sidewalk. "He loves me not." He breathed out, dropping the stem as well.

Eddie had done this with six other flowers and each time he had gotten the same answer. He loves me not. Now, Eddie didn't believe this. It was a dumb flower. That wasn't going to predict his love life. But Eddie would be lying if he said every "he loves me not" didn't make him worry. He needed the dumb flower to give him the stupid answer he wanted. How hard could that be?

Eddie reached over the end of the park bench, grabbing another flower, yanking it out of the ground. He looked down at the pedals, inspecting them. This had to be the one. Lucky number seven. That was a thing, right? Eddies fingers pinched the first pedal, pulling it off. "He loves me." He smiled down at the flower, picking another off. "He loves me not... he loves me... he loves me not.. he loves m-"

"Eddie?" A voice called. "Eddie! Hey!" 

For a moment Eddie panicked. His mother would kill him if she found out he was sitting outside during allergy season. She already lectured him for asking to ride his bike to the library to hang out with Ben. He was lucky she liked Ben. Finally, Eddie was able to convince her to let him, it wasn't even his words that convinced her, it was the puppy dog eyes he had gotten so good at. Bill had taught him.

Her yes didn't stop Eddie from biking all the way to the library and waiting inside for fifteen minutes. His mother had once caught him sneaking to Stans house after telling her he was going to the pharmacy. He still hasn't heard the end of it.

Eddie squinted and smiled when he saw who it was. "Mike!" He called, waving. "Hi!" 

As Mike got closer Eddie began to realize that scattered around him and the park bench he was sitting on was the remains of poor, torn apart flowers. Eddie kicked the pile of stems underneath the bench and into the grass. Mike looked down at his legs, smirking to himself.

"Didn't know you were a romantic?" Mike teased, sitting down next to him. "Thats sweet."

"Whats sweet?" Eddie asked, shaking his head. "Theres nothing here. At all. Zip. Zero."

"You're a horrible liar." Mike grinned. "You have tons of pedals surrounding you. You're even holding one in your hand, Eddie."

Eddie straightened up, his cheeks going a deep red as if he had a sun burn. He put the hand clutching the flower behind him. "What flower?"

"Dude," Mike laughed. "I just saw you holding it. I know you have it." 

Eddie sighed, moving his arm so it was back in front of him. He dropped the flower in his lap. "Its dumb."

"No, its not." Mike hooked his arm around Eddies shoulder. "I think anyone whos ever had a crush on someone has done it." 

"Its not even true!" Eddie huffed. "I mean, how can the number of pedals on a flower tell me the truth about my love life?!" 

"I don't kn-"

Eddie cut mike off. "Its a trick question! It can't! If the boy doesn't like me, a flower saying he does won't fix that."

"Hey." Mike put his hand over Eddies. "Dude... just calm down. Its just a dumb game." 

Eddie dropped the flower to the ground, shaking his head. "I thought it would help."

"Help with what?" Mike asked. 

"Thinking he liked me back." Eddie shrugged. "Or maybe give me confidence so I could.. I don't know. At least tell him I like him."

"You don't need flowers to do that." Mike leaned back against the bench. "You just gotta get in the zone."

"The zone?"

Mike nodded, crossing his legs. "Like.. you gotta get in this mind set that you're great and stuff. And then you lean in and you're like.. look... I like you."

"But I'm not great-"

"Yes." Mike grabbed his arms. "You are. And I'm sure whoever you like thinks you're great, too." 

Eddie sighed. "Its Richie. He only thinks bad puns and dad shirts are great."

"Did I really just hear you say.. nevermind." Mike shook his head. "Just.. Richie loves you. He loves us all. And if anything, he loves you more. He always talks to you."

"Because I tolerate his shit."

Mike shrugged. "I mean, maybe hes looking for someone like that."

"Christ!" Eddie sighed, sinking down against the park bench. "I'm about as confident as an avocado." 

"Those sound good right now."

"Mike!" 

"Sorry, sorry." Mike crossed his arms over his chest. "How about this? You and Richie meet at the diner. I'll wait outside and you tell Richie you like him."

"What if he rejects me?!" Eddie sat upright, slamming his hands against his legs.

"Then I'll come in and make up some lie on how it was a joke or a test." Mike patted Eddies back. "But I don't think he'll reject you."

"You also thought I'd win an arm wrestling contest with Stan."

"I didn't know Stan had so much pent up anger." Mike ruffled Eddies hair. "Come to my place. I'll call Richie and get him to meet you there and then I'll get you all handsomed up."

"That's not a word." 

"And picking flowers won't tell you who loves you." Mike pushed himself off of the park bench and began walking towards his bike. "Come on!" 

Eddie picked up the flower, looking down at it then at Mike. "Shut up!" He picked a pedal. "He loves me not.. he loves me.. he loves me not."

"Are you really doing that again?" Mike teased. "Have you no self respect?"

"Mind your own business!" Eddie flicked a pedal at him. "I need it to tell me he loves me."

Mike raised his hands in defense. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."

\- 

Richie stared at his wall, the radio behind him playing far too loud. He took a deep breath, looking at himself in the mirror then back at the wall. He pushed himself up and off of the floor, starting to pace around his room. He picked at his nails and chewed at his lips, glancing at his watch. He had been doing this for a half an hour. 

Finally, a knock Richie could barely hear hit the door. He shut off his radio and ran down out of his room, nearly falling down the stairs as he moved. Richie jumped off of the stairs, skipping the last three steps. He nearly ran into the front door when he grabbed the handle. Jerking it open, Richie smiled ear to ear.

"Stanley!" Richie cheered, grabbing his wrist. "Glad you could make it. I mean, its not like you said you'd be here a half an hour ago or anything."

"Now you know how it feels." Stan smirked. "Now, whats the big de-"

"You were late to teach me a lesson?" Richie asked, pressing his hands to his own chest. "Do you do everything out of spite?"

"Why else would I do it?" Stan muttered. "Anyway, you called me.. 25 times. I told you we were having a cook out with my cousins and-"

"I'm in love." Richie whispered. "Like.. love love. Like.. I wanna kiss you and slow dance with you and do dumb dates and all that dumb shit love."

"Well.." Stan chuckled. "That is a huge compliment, Richie, but I actually have a thing for someone else. Sorry."

Richie flipped him off. "You wish, bird boy."

"No, but really, what was so important that you had to call me that many times?" Stan leaned against the wall. "My parents were so worried they wanted to drive me over and check on you."

"That's sweet." Richie smiled.

"Dude!" Stan clapped his hands in front of Richies face. "Listen to me! What did you want?"

"I.." Richie looked down at his feet, rubbing the back of his neck. "I really do love someone. No joke."

"Swear?" Stan asked. 

"Swear on everything. Swear on my car-"

"If you can even call it that." Stan muttered. "Its barely built."

"Leave Sarah out of this!" 

"Oh my god. You named it." Stan covered his mouth, giggling.

"Hey! This is important! I'm having a crisis!" Richie grabbed Stans hands. "I'm in love and I don't know what to do."

"Well, who are you in love with?" Stan asked. "Thats a good place to start.. oh, and Richie?"

"Yeah?" Richie stared up at him.

"If you say you're in love with yourself I'm gonna punch you."

"I am not in love with myself. If I was I wouldn't make self deprecating jokes all the time..but thats beside the point." Richie took a deep breath. "Drum roll please."

"You're kidding-"

"Stan. This is a big deal. It needs to be treated as such."

Stan rolled his eyes and began slapping the wall, going faster and faster the longer time went by.

"Eddie Kaspbrak."

"Bill owes me twenty bucks!" Stan cheered. "I freaking knew it!" 

Richie stared at him, his mouth falling open. "You had a bet on my love life?"

"Duh. I mean, c'mon. It was obvious. Bill said you'd admit it during truth or dare or some game. And I said you would just give up and tell someone because all you do is babble." Stan smiled triumphantly. "I do know you best."

"My own best friend put a bet on my love life. I deserve half of that twenty." Richie crossed his arms, glaring at gin. 

"You can have the entire thing if you ask Eddie out on a date a-"

"Easy."

"And he has to agree."

"Not so easy."

Stan shrugged. "It could go either way."

"You're supposed to tell me hes in love with me." Richie sighed. "You are the worst best friend ever."

"I am not. You love me." Stan looked down at his shoes. "Did you only call me over to tell me you love him? Because anyone with a working set of eyes can see that."

"No." Richie chewed on his thumb nail. "You know how to date. You and Bill have been together for a while and your relationship is amazing."

Stan blushed, looking down. "Thanks. Hes what makes it so amazing."

Richie fake gagged. "Ew! I didn't mean that!" 

"Then what did you mean?" Stan sighed. 

"I wanna ask him out. I just don't know how." Richie sat on the staircase, laying back against it. "How did you ask Bill out?"

"I wrote him a note and passed it to him in class." 

"And?"

"He said yes and we went to the park and had a picnic."

"Thats it?" Richie leaned his head back against the stairs.

Stan laughed. "Was there supposed to be more?"

"I don't know. I just.. I wanna tell him but I don't-" Richie groaned, stomping his feet on the ground. "Why are feelings so hard?" 

Stan shrugged. "Don't know." He sat down next to Richie. "But if it helps any.. if they like you back those feelings stop being so hard."

Richie pulled his glasses off and rubbed his face. He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Think, think, think.."

"Wow, you passed up the perfect opportunity to make a dick joke." Stan picked up Richies glasses and cleaned them off with his shirt. "This must be serious." 

"Shut it. I'm trying here. Its important." Richie winced when the phone began to ring. "Can you get it? I need to focus."

Stan rolled his eyes and set Richies glasses down, walking over to the phone. "Hello.. this is he.. yes.. okay. What time? A half hour? Wow. Okay. Yeah. I'll come..thanks." Stan gave Richie a thumbs up. "Bye."

"Did you just pretend to be me?" 

"Yeah, but that doesn't matter." Stan rushed towards him, grabbing Richies shoulders and shaking him. "You got a date in a half hour! Go get dressed!" 

"Wh-" Richie stared at him with wide eyes. "How did you do that so fast? Are you God?"

"I wish." Stan laughed. "No. That was Mike. Hes with Eddie and Eddie wanted to ask you to meet up but he was too nervous and panicked."

"And you.. accepted?"

"Mhm. Aren't I a good actor?"

"No." Richie scoffed. "Only I can be as amazing as me."

"Well.." Stan trailed off. "Your future boyfriend believed it was me."

"When we start dating I'm gonna have to talk to him about that.." 

\- 

Richie stood outside the diner, glancing back at Stan every few minutes. He looked down at his watch and chewed his bottom lip. Eddie should be here soon. 

"What if I don't know what to say?" Richie whined.

"How hard is it to say you like someone? I just said half the sentence."

"But this is Eddie and hes all cute and handsome and weird, but a cute weird-"

"We established that."

Richie glared at him. "He's great so this needs to be ama-"

"Richie!" Eddie called as he ran down the road. His hair was combed down and he had on a white button down shirt tucked into his jeans. 

"Gotta go!" Stan mumbled as he rushed away into the diner, sitting down to look out the window and see how it went.

Richie smiled, nervously. His cheeks were bright red. "Hey.."

"I need to tell you something." Eddie panted, shifting his weight back and forth between his feet.

"Me too." Richie said. "But you can go first."

"No, you." Eddie muttered. 

"No," Richie said. "You."

Mike sighed behind them. "Say it at the same time." He rubbed his temples. "Or else that argument will go on forever."

"He's right." Eddie grinned. "On the count of three?"

"Yeah." Richie mumbled. "One."

"Two."

"Three-" Richie breathed out.

"I like you!" Both boys shouted with wide eyes and pink cheeks. They only blushed darker once they heard what the other said, ducking down in an attempt to hide their red faces. 

Eddie rubbed his arm, nervously. "So.."

"What do we do now?" Richie asked, rubbing the back of his neck. He glanced at Stan, who was pointing inside the diner and mouthing "date." He cleared his throat. "Since we're here.. do you wanna go on a date?"

Eddie grinned, taking Richies hand in his. "That sounds amazing."


End file.
